Book 1 Chapter 864
864.
Chelsea held her staff and moved forward.
One question still lingered in her mind.
'Can I fight a Legion Commander by myself?'
Legion Commanders.
Beings who reign in Tartarus.
Each and every one of them is a calamity-class demon capable of making the world tremble in fear.
Over the past 5000 years, the world has subjugated numerous Legion Commanders.
As it was an era of heroes, there were many capable of subjugating Legion Commanders.
However, only a handful of heroes could face a Legion Commander-class demon single-handedly.
And in battles against Legion Commanders, the number of heroes who lost their lives was greater than the number of Legion Commanders who were subjugated.
'There were even times when merely surviving a fight with a Legion Commander was considered a great achievement.'
Monsters like nightmares, whose very names would normally instill fear.
Chelsea's composure in front of such a Legion Commander was largely due to Leo's influence.
But Chelsea was not Leo.
Moreover, she had to fight a Legion Commander by herself.
However, there was something that frightened Chelsea even more than fighting a Legion Commander.
'My future self… how strong have I become?'
Chelsea's current appearance was a projection of her future self.
In accordance with that appearance, Chelsea's power had also grown stronger.
'It's an illusion… but didn't he say it was a world where one of the future possibilities was realized?'
A world where Leo had completely subjugated Erebus.
Chelsea's hand, gripping her staff, tightened.
The greatest driving force that made Chelsea Rwallin who she was now was 'admiration for someone'.
Until a year ago, Chelsea was like a small chick in a nest.
The reason Chelsea enrolled in Lumern was also because of Avad.
Her intelligent and good-natured older brother.
To Chelsea, Avad was like the heroes in fairy tales.
As a direct descendant of Rwallin, she considered it fortunate to have been born into the same family.
'I hope my older brother becomes a wonderful hero.'
It was a dream Chelsea naturally held since she was young.
Because of that, Chelsea received both approval and concern from the Rwallin family.
The positive aspect was that Chelsea would never threaten the position of the family head.
The age difference between the two siblings was only two years.
Unless Avad lacked ability, of course.
From a young age, he firmly established his position as successor with outstanding genius and popularity.
This was quite different from the Gerdinger family, another heroic noble family within the same empire and a rival.
The Gerdinger family also had excellent direct descendants in Liss and Celia, but there was a significant age difference between the two siblings.
Rwallin is immense.
Although they are vassals of the empire, their prestige and family power are comparable to that of a nation.
Therefore, if there was a strong competitor in the succession structure, the family could be shaken, even if there was a direct descendant establishing their position.
Many heroic noble families prospered but then faded into the annals of history.
Long history has no bearing on a family's continued existence.
The issue of succession has always been a problem for noble families in any era.
However, Chelsea showed no interest in the position of family head from a young age.
But to put it another way, it also meant that Chelsea's talent was outstanding enough to shake a firmly established successor's position.
This was the Rwallin family's concern.
Chelsea's talent was on par with Avad's.
In childhood, a one or two-year difference is significant.
But as they grew, that gap quickly narrowed.
Despite having the talent to stand alongside Avad, Chelsea's place was always right behind him.
As if that was her designated place.
She merely admired and watched Avad from one step behind.
Naturally, she was evaluated as being a step below Celia, who was considered Avad's equal in skill within the same empire.
Chelsea was known as a rival and felt a competitive spirit towards Celia, but she rarely achieved skill comparable to Celia's.
Thus, Chelsea became a major concern for the family.
While the Rwallin family worried that her talent might be buried as it was.
It was Leo who appeared before Chelsea.
The first person other than Avad to capture her attention in her entire life.
A person who seemed like the perfect hero she had come to admire.
Chelsea began to follow Leo.
Fortunately, Avad also followed Leo.
If their paths were the same, there was no need to change.
When she became a freshman at Lumern.
Artian once asked the students about their goals.
Celia dreamed of becoming a knight surpassing the knights of her family, and Avad dreamed of becoming a great Archmage protecting the people of the empire.
Celia, as a member of the Gerdinger family.
Avad, a wonderful dream as the head of Rwallin.
'I want to help my older brother!'
Chelsea's goal was the smallest among the freshmen.
But Chelsea didn't mind.
Avad had a magnificent dream.
So, she thought helping that dream was also a wonderful thing.
Chelsea merely watched the backs of those she admired from one step behind.
And a year later, when Leo tried to break the spirits of the hero candidates.
Chelsea collapsed in the most fragile way.
'Chelsea. Isn't it time… for you to take flight as well?'
Avad, who was in a different dormitory, wore a pitying expression after helping Chelsea.
'Chelsea. Run away.'
Celia, who was in the same dormitory but her rival, genuinely worried about Chelsea.
The two knew that Chelsea, at that time, could absolutely not challenge Leo.
That she couldn't even resist.
It was from that moment.
That she decided to stop merely admiring.
Possibilities opened up.
The girl, who had achieved explosive growth, became a full-fledged mage seeking her own path.
Of course, she hadn't decided on her exact path yet.
Nor had she stopped admiring.
Chelsea's goal was still to help Avad.
But that was no longer Chelsea's entire purpose.
Just one of several goals.
That's why now, having become one of the many futures she could be.
Chelsea was afraid.
'My future self… could I truly have helped Leo achieve his goal?'
No matter how fearsome the Legion Commander before her was, they were insignificant when compared to the goal Leo pursued.
Therefore, for Chelsea, whose goal was to help Leo move forward without collapsing by his side, this enemy had to be one she could overcome no matter what.
“Huh?”
Seneor's gaze fell upon Chelsea.
The corner of his mouth twitched.
It wasn't a sneer.
It was a fighting spirit imbued with belligerence and madness.
“Our lovely little bird has arrived?”
“Little bird?”
Chelsea tilted her head.
“Yeah. You fluttered away earlier like a little bird, pitter-patter~”
Seneor smiled faintly, mimicking wing flaps with both palms.
“Our little bird doesn't seem strong enough to fight this Lord Seneor yet, does she? Why don't you bring the Exterminator of Light or the One Who Prepares the Beginning?”
“Kal certainly has risen in status. Seeing you name Kal instead of me, that is.”
Chelsea let out an exclamation of admiration.
But then she smiled sweetly and aimed her staff at Seneor.
“But I’ll be your opponent. I’m stronger than Kal.”
“Plucking a flower that hasn't bloomed yet is heartbreaking… But I can't control my strength right now, you know?”
Whoosh-! Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-ga-gak-!
Seneor swung his arm.
At the same time, a giant scythe appeared and slashed right beside Chelsea.
If the scythe had swung just a little more to the side, Chelsea would have been split in half and died.
Yet, Chelsea didn't even bat an eyelid.
“Are you scared?”
“No, I knew you wouldn’t cut me.”
“Oh-ho?”
It was as she said.
She could feel the flow of the wind.
And within that wind, she could see the attack's trajectory.
Chelsea herself was a little surprised.
It wasn't just that her magic power had gotten stronger.
'If you master wind magic to its limits… you can see a world like this.'
The moment she thought of battle, countless things began to feel tangible.
'Can I control this power?'
She had become so strong that it was hard to believe it was her own power.
'Wind Sword.'
Chelsea's specialty as a battle mage was close-quarters combat.
Chelsea's melee combat ability was so exceptional that she could win against most knight academy students in close combat.
She gathered wind at her tiptoes.
And aimed the magic staff, as tall as herself, held in her left hand, at Seneor.
She quickly chanted a spell.
“Raphal.”
One of the Rwallin family's secret magic spells.
A colossal gust of wind instantly engulfed Seneor and tore him apart.
Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-gak-!
“Ahahahahaha! Not bad!”
Seneor's eyes flashed as he swung his scythe.
“Ugh?!”
Ka-ga-ga-ga-gang-!
Chelsea parried Seneor's attack with a sword of wind forming on the staff in her right hand.
Hwaak-!
For a moment, Chelsea's body was sent flying back.
'It's hard to control this power!'
Chelsea squeezed her eyes shut, anticipating a collision with the huge tree behind her.
'Wind Shield!'
Kwang! Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-gang-! Jjeo-jeo-jeok-!
Chelsea was flung back, knocking down numerous trees.
Seneor unleashed dark magic towards Chelsea.
Woo-woong-!
A black-red magic circle formed in the air.
As Seneor snapped his fingers, sharp winds raged towards where Chelsea had been flung.
Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-gak-!
The ground, rocks, and trees were sharply sliced away.
But Seneor's attack wasn't over.
Woong-!
A colossal circle appeared in the sky.
“What kind of magic is that?”
As Kal wore a flustered expression, Leo said calmly.
“A curse.”
“What?”
“From the looks of it, it’s a curse that makes everything within its range heavy.”
“Wouldn’t that be somewhat advantageous for Chelsea? If she blows away a heavier object with wind, the physical force increases, right?”
As Kal, who knew the power of Chelsea’s wind magic well, tilted his head in question, Melina shook her head.
“No. Curses aren’t simply that kind of concept.”
“Huh?”
“High-level curses affect concepts. For an object to become heavy, there must be a process of it becoming heavy. But in the case of a high-level curse, there is no process of becoming heavy, only the result.”
“That’s incredibly difficult. So, she just feels it’s heavy, right?”
“To put it simply, yes.”
In that case, it was disadvantageous for Chelsea.
Because the advantage of wind magic was its speed.
“Shouldn’t we help?”
“……”
Even at Kal's words, Leo simply watched the battle in silence.
***
“Agh-go-go!”
Ku-gu-gung-!
Instantly, a powerful sense of weight crushed her entire body.
'A curse?'
Chelsea's face wrinkled.
'Can I break it?'
“It seems wind attacks are your specialty. So, I’ll deal with you using wind.”
Seneor said with a faint smile.
Hwaak-!
As Seneor swung his hand, sharp winds flew in to tear Chelsea apart.
Chelsea quickly chanted 'Gale'.
Peo-beo-beo-beo-beong-!
Wind clashed with wind, creating a powerful storm.
'Like this, I’m just a fool with brute strength!'
Chelsea bit her lip tightly.
Nothing had changed other than her magic power becoming stronger.
'What on earth should I do…?!'
If she couldn't make this power her own, it was useless.
Someone's image flashed through Chelsea's anxious mind.
“Alright! Next attack!”
Seneor grinned and swung his scythe, creating a gust of wind.
The gust moved at tremendous speed to blow Chelsea away.
At that moment-
Sha-rak-
“……?”
The gust of wind transformed into a gentle breeze in front of Chelsea.
'Wind's greatest strength isn't speed.'
Chelsea closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
'It's its freedom.'
Wind is fickle.
Blowing this way, then that way.
Wind is a free entity whose direction cannot be predicted.
And being free also meant being able to become anything.
Chelsea curled up the corners of her lips.
It was the smile of someone Chelsea admired.
The moment Seneor saw that smile, he felt an inexplicable rage surge from within his chest.
For some reason, he didn't like that smile.
Seneor swung his scythe, his weapon, once again.
Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-gang-!
It was as if a typhoon was raging around them.
He tried to kill Chelsea by controlling the winds of the entire surrounding area.
Chelsea raised her staff.
Then, a gentle breeze blew from the tip of her staff.
Soon, the gentle breeze swallowed the typhoon, making it calm.
“What did you do?”
“Just… imitated someone.”
“Imitated?”
Someone the 16-year-old Chelsea wouldn't even dare to imitate.
But the current Chelsea could.
At Chelsea's words, Seneor made an annoyed expression and stirred up the wind again.
Watching Seneor, Chelsea repeated what the person she was imitating had once told her.
“That’s not how you use wind.”